Errani and Petrova through to last 8 of the Toray Pan Pacific Open

Sara Errani’s great year continues, as the diminutive Italian took out the very in form Marion Bartoli of France in three tightly fought sets, 3-6 6-2 6-2, in just over two hours twenty minutes on court. Even though Bartoli, the number nine seed, initially led 6-2 1-0 with points for a 2-0 lead in the second set, her game fell away as she fired six aces to none for Errani. She also hit twelve double faults – equivalent to four games – while the Italian only had one. The stats show that the two players were equal on first serve points won, as well as break points saved and won, but Errani scored better on her second serves.

The Russian, Petrova, seeded seventeenth, defeated the unseeded Petra Martic of Croatia in a marathon third round match which lasted three hours and ten minutes. The final score was 7-6 (2) 6-7 (1) 6-4. A top ten player in 2005 and 2006 and long term top twenty campaigner, Petrova’s experience of thirteen years on the WTA tour and her serve were both the eventual deciders in this seesaw match, as she fired down fifteen aces to Martic’s four; and while she also had seven double faults, Martic served eighteen.

Errani will play Petrova in the quarters.

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